General Electric Co. is willing to partner with France's government in a possible alliance, Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt told French lawmakers Tuesday as he tried to win their support for the company's $17 billion bid for Alstom SA's power-equipment business.

Mr. Immelt didn't offer any details of the possible alliance, but his comments marked an overture to the government of Socialist President François Hollande, who is due to meet with the GE chief executive in Paris Wednesday. GE hadn't previously stated publicly...